Mirko Filipovic vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba's orbital bone was broken in this fight. Mirko Filipovic has a strange habit of doing that. The Fight The first round began. Sakuraba shot immediately for the takedown, Filipovic defended and landed a punch, did the same a moment later. Sakuraba circled hesitantly. Filipovic was stalking him. Filipovic landed a big leg kick. Sakuraba missed a big leg kick. Filipovic landed a good combination, defended a takedown, landed a good knee to the turtled-up Sakuraba's temple. They stood sort of. Filipovic landed a knee to the calf and let Sakuraba go and they circled. Sakuraba came forward and landed nothing. Filipovic landed a big straight left and shoved Sakuraba down and let him up. Sakuraba shot for a takedown and missed. Filipovic landed a big body kick, big leg kick. Sakuraba missed a leg kick of his own. Filipovic landed a leg kick. Sakuraba shot for a takedown, Filipovic sprawled and they stood. Sakuraba landed a good right hook. Filipovic sprawled and they stood. Filipovic missed a sort of head kick. Filipovic landed a body kick. Sakuraba came forward with a good combination. Filipovic sprawled to avoid another takedown but Sakuraba kept coming and finally got him down into full guard, he was avoiding Sakuraba's attempts to pass effectively and finally pulled guard tightly. Sakuraba continually postured up but landed nothing. Sakuraba landed a few decent shots. Sakuraba landed some hammerfists. The crowd chanted 'Sakuraba' and applauded rhythmically. Sakuraba landed a double hammerfist and they stood. They shook hands, Sakuraba grinning, as the first round ended. The second round began. They circled, in close. Sakuraba missed a leg kick. They circled some more. Mirko landed a big leg kick. Sakuraba threw a missed combination. Mirko narrowly missed a headkick, landed a leg kick. Sakuraba came forward with missed strikes. Sakuraba shot for a takedown, Mirko sprawled and they stood. Mirko landed a body kick but slipped backwards and Sakuraba pounced on top in... half-guard. Mirko was looking for an arm triangle from the bottom but Sakuraba pulled out. Sakuraba was looking for that kimura again. Mirko briefly looked for that arm triangle again. Sakuraba looked for that kimura again. Sakuraba postured up and ate a few big upkicks to the eye from Mirko from the bottom. Sakuraba stood, looked hurt, went back down into Mirko's full guard landing a few good shots. Mirko was laughing at Sakuraba for some reason from the bottom. Not sure why. He was indeed laughing. Sakuraba landed some really good hammerfists, postured up with big ground and pound, Mirko shoved Sakuraba away hard with his legs, Sakuraba came back down, Mirko tried for a triangle but Sakura escaped. Mirko landed some good elbows from the bottom to Sakuraba's face and then the top of Sakuraba's head. The second round ended. Sakuraba stayed on his knees. He wasn't getting up. His left eye was bleeding badly. His left orbital bone was broken, maybe from one of those elbows. Mirko looked calm in his corner, getting ready for a third round. Bas Rutten said 'Please do NOT let this be the end." Yep, the doctors stopped the fight. TKO (broken orbital bone).